Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox (Blue)

by Creative

Product Details

Product Manual [8.13mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 1.5 x 5 x 5 inches ; 14.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000026D6I
• Item model number: 5000001208
• Batteries: 4 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

One of our biggest frustrations with MP3 players has been their limited storage capacity. You'll typically get 64 MB via internal memory or memory cards, which provides just a little over an hour of near CD-quality MP3 audio. So when we heard that Creative was releasing a 6 GB player that can hold over 100 hours of music, it sounded perfect. Soon we'd be rifling through a massive catalog of tunes on our little player, from Elvis Costello to LL Cool J to Miles Davis, whenever the whim struck.

The Nomad Jukebox is essentially a portable hard drive with software that will play MP3 audio. Since hard drives include spinning and moving parts, this player is not ideal for active MP3 users from joggers to snowboarders.

We cracked open the box, inserted the rechargeable batteries (two sets of four AAs are included), plugged in the AC adapter, and waited the recommended 12 hours for them to charge initially. This is a very important step. This was our second set of batteries--we didn't bother to heed Creative's initial charging directions when we first got the product, and our first set of batteries soon lost the capacity to be recharged.

After installing the included software (we tested the Jukebox on a Macintosh G4 using SoundJam MP; for PCs, Creative includes PlayCenter 2) and connecting the USB cable, we quickly deleted 2 GB of starter MP3 and audiobook files and started loading our own music. We started with about 500 songs, but noticed after the load had finished that not all the songs made it onto the Jukebox. Also, the SoundJam software didn't like us doing any other work on our Mac G4, stalling out the load whenever we switched to another program.

We found it was best to load in smaller numbers and to keep SoundJam up as the active application (unfortunately, not the most efficient use of computer time). The transfer rate is about 6 minutes per 100 MB, which translates to around 25 songs. (So far, we've loaded 861 songs and we still have over 2.3 GB left of storage.)

Once music has been transferred to the Jukebox, you need to create an active playing list by navigating one of three lists--artists, albums, and genres--then adding songs to the queue. (This points out the need for creating thorough ID3 tags, an electronic label that can include song title, track number, year, and more. ID3 tags can be created via the PlayCenter and SoundJam software manually or be imported from the online CDDB database. For more information about tagging, see the Amazon.com Making MP3s Guide.) Playlists can be saved in the Jukebox, though it can be a bit tedious (there's no keyboard), and you can't add songs to an existing playlist.

The Jukebox also sports some nice additions. It has a line-in recording capability (using an external microphone) that records WAV files that can be adjusted for optimal (or low-end) sound quality, and it can play audiobooks.

The biggest downside to the Nomad Jukebox is its portability. As noted, it does run on rechargeable batteries, but they'll last far less than the advertised two hours. Also, this isn't the device to take jogging; its internal hard drive, though somewhat shock and motion resistant, just won't take that kind of activity. It's really made for stationary play using its included AC adapter.

It also has a few playback glitches, the biggest being that you can't fast- forward or rewind within a song. Also, there's no bookmark feature for audiobook listening--a necessity for long files.

Ultimately, the Creative Nomad Jukebox isn't perfect and isn't suited for everyone's MP3 needs. But it has become a staple of our gadget life--it travels with us daily to the office and hooks in nicely into stereo systems, both at home and at friends' houses. Someday, we'll all wonder what we did without an MP3 jukebox. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

• 6 GB of storage is massive--over 1,000 songs
• Several methods for selecting playlist songs (artist, album, and genre)
• Line-out for connecting to stereo systems, and line-in for recording

Cons:

• Battery power is sucked up quickly
• Prone to skipping/stalling when used in heavy activity

Product Description

Classic, refined lines matched to the latest technology from the Citizen San Remo series... Eco-Drive men's chronograph is rugged and masculine in stainless steel and leather. High-tech watch is powered by the sun or any other light source...and will never require a new battery. Handsome, polished steel Tonneau shaped case is gently curved to fit the contours of the wrist. Case is presented on the attractive black leather strap. Sleek white dial with three subdials, luminous hands and hour markers. Small-seconds, 30-minute and 24-hour registers.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good First Attempt, November 6, 2000

By 

Ankush Narula (New York, NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox (Blue) (Vinyl)

...For a first to market multi-GIG player, it's a good attempt.I've had the unit for nearly 2 months and use it when I'm at home andnot on my computer.

Overall, the Jukebox is a decent product. ThePlayCenter software makes it easy to rip/transfer music to theJukebox. The battery life is reasonable considering the hardwarethat's being supported...anywhere from 3-4 hours depending onfrequency of use and file bitrates. The 5 minute anti-skip is prettysilly (although it works as advertised) considering that the Jukeboxweighs almost 3 pounds and contains a 6GB hard drive. Personally, Idon't like jogging with hard drives in my pocket. The Jukebox'snavigation system is fairly usable but not something my mother coulduse without some training.

The absence of forward and rewindcapability has proven to be most annoying. Perhaps this can berectified with a software update, allowing the user to hold down theSkip Next or Skip Previous buttons to perform these functions. Also,the inability to compose playlists directly on the Jukebox is quiteirritating as well. You must go back to the PlayCenter software tocompose and transfer your playlists.

The first real problem thatI've discovered ... that the loudness ofthe audio is poor. I've turned the volume to it's maximum and wasunable to really feel overwhelmed in any way. I've also fiddled withthe EAX effects and discovered that this "feature" furtherzaps the audio's loudness and adds a noticeable artificial quality tothe sound.

The second problem is the sheer slowness of theJukebox's operating system. This is a serious problem because ALL ofthe Jukebox's functionality is digital - including the slow-to-respondvolume control. I realize that the Jukebox is a computer, but it'sbeing pitched to consumers as a consumer electronic device and thusshould be as responsive. Perhaps this problem is rooted in a slow CPUor perhaps it's because the operating system and the file indexes areon the hard drive. Whatever the reason, this needs some seriouswork.

As for accessories, I'd like to see a car audio kit with afixed FM channel transmitter + AC charger. A simple mounting kitmight be a nice as well. Also, a remote control with LCD would be awelcome accessory, assuming that the Jukebox can transmit as well asreceive infrared signals.

I hope Creative is listening to (orreading) these reviews. For a v1.0 product, the Jukebox is a goodshot. Hopefully, they can release some software upgrades to correctsome of the problems I've listed. And hopefully the next version ofthe Jukebox will correct the issues that software upgrades cannot.

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good product, but a bit outdated, November 17, 2000

By 

Mary Jo Sminkey "dog trainer and web programmer" (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox (Blue) (Vinyl)

The first time I saw this player, I knew I had to get one! I hate dragging CDs back and forth from home to work, this seemed the perfect solution for me. And for the most part, it sure is. The sound quality, storage capacity, ease of ripping and adding music, stylish looks, etc. all make this a winner. If your hope is to use it jogging or on trips, etc., where you will be away from power supplies, you may not be quite as happy. Battery life is definitely the low point of the unit.

The software both on the player and on the PC is easy to use for the most part. Some things could be better implemented, like the delete functions, but on the plus side, it *is* USB (a must for the amount of files you'll be moving) so transfers and communication between the two is fast. The PC software is easy to use, but really could be a bit more fleshed out. The help file is really pretty sparse. You better know what you are doing and what a lot of the settings mean, as there is little help included. Quick note to a new user...be sure to drop by the website and get the upgrades for using WMA files! They are smaller than MP3s for the same quality of play, so you'll be able to get even more on the player.

As others have mentioned, it's rather annoying that the music included on the player cannot be downloaded and saved. A CD with it should be included. But hey, it *is* neat that they included that much free music! I don't generally buy some types of music, like classical, and there was a LOT included on it that was nice to listen to. The other included items are pretty good...two sets of batteries is certainly more than you normally get, and the headphones are actually decent, rather than the crappy earbud ones you usually get with most portable audio equipment. For once, I don't have to go buy another set that I can wear, these work nicely. The carrying bag is fairly well made and padded as well. Sadly though, it cannot do more than carry the player, as the design does not allow anything, even headphones to be plugged in. Seems like a real waste. Some nicer carrying cases can be purchased from Creative.

UPDATE - it's been over a year since I bought my Jukebox. I had it upgraded to 20 gig and have been fairly happy with it. However, there are a lot more similar products on the market now that I do think are better. They improve on the two biggest problems with the Nomad Jukebox, and that's size and battery life. I really don't run it off batteries at all. I plug it into my cigarette lighter in the car and have an AC adapter at work for it. Size is not a huge issue for me, but then, I don't go jogging with it or carry it around with me much. If I did, I sure would look for another player. I would have hoped to see the price on the Nomad come down with these smaller, better players coming out, and it has, but not enough in my opinion to make it worth the purchase. I will be intersested to see the next version Creative releases, with a 20 gig hard drive and better battery life. Same size though, which I think is really going to kill it in this market.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars State of the Art, October 31, 2000

By 

Anthony O'Sullivan (Dubai United Arab Emirates) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox (Blue) (Vinyl)

As a major music fan I've watched the advent of Mp3 technology with a keen interest. As we are all aware until now the storage capacity of the players available has been wholly inadequete for anything other than short term listening pleasure.

In my job I do quite a bit of travel and spend a lot of hours in the office. The ability to tranport the favorite bits from my music collection with me is a Godsend. The 6 GB Nomad Jukebox was therfore a must-have product.

I havn't been disappointed. The Playcentre 2 software makes ripping your cd's and transferring mp3 files a breeze, although it is annoying (but not surprising) that two-way transfer isn't possible.

I find the player navigation really easy to use. I would suggest that some of the other reviewers havn't played around with their menus yet. Contrary to reports, there is a facility whereby the active queuelist can be randomly played. The stop key also acts as a pause button which is obviously useful if listening to audiobooks.

The headphones look smart and produce a good sound. I would agree however that the EAX sound system is gimmicky and those with a keen ear may be disappointed.

Despite my minor quibbles, I have to come back to the fact that on my system I currently have 1250 of my favorite songs with room for more. This sort of portability was a fantasy until this player came along.

If you want your music on the move the positive points of the Nomad Jukebox more than outweigh the negatives. Nothing on the market at the moment can touch this product. Worth every cent!